Ward Cup U19 Ulster semi-final

23rd January 2026

A pulsating Ward Cup U19 Ulster semi-final unfolded in Cookstown today as two evenly matched sides went toe-to-toe in a contest full of quality, intensity and momentum swings.

Coláiste Feirste burst out of the traps and set the early tempo, striking for a goal inside the opening five minutes. They followed that with a brace of scores, the highlight an excellent two-pointer aided by the breeze, to establish a five-point advantage and put St Kevin’s under early pressure.

To their credit, St Kevin’s responded superbly and gradually worked their way back into the game. Louie fired home an excellent goal to settle the side, while a steady stream of points from Daire, Conor and Oisín helped claw back the deficit. By the interval, the sides were finely balanced, with St Kevin’s edging ahead on a scoreline of 1-7 to Coláiste Feirste’s 1-6.

The second half began brightly for St Kevin’s, with early points from Callum and Mathew maintaining their momentum. What followed was an absorbing period of end-to-end football, as scores flowed freely and neither side could gain clear control.

Conor produced a moment of brilliance with a long-range goal that lifted the Cookstown crowd, before Louie struck again, pouncing expertly for his second goal after a clever assist from Charlie. Despite St Kevin’s finishing strongly, Coláiste Feirste stayed firmly in contention and the outcome remained in the balance right up until the final five minutes.

In the end, St Kevin’s composure and clinical finishing proved decisive as they saw out a thrilling semi-final victory.

Scorers for St Kevin’s:

Louie 2-3

Conor 1-1

Daire 0-4

Oisín 0-2

Callum 0-2

Mathew 0-2

Charlie 0-1

Ben 0-1

A high-quality contest that showcased the best of U19 football and a performance that will give Tony Collins St Kevin’s side plenty of confidence heading into the final.

Final score

St Kevin’s 3-17

Colaiste Feirste ( Belfast ) 2-11